Penny's Jottings

Covid hit hard in 21

With isolation for everyone

We met on Zoom and sang alone

Out of sync, no overtone

Nerryl kept the chorus going

Therese got the straws a-blowing

We sang to each other with solo rotation

We learnt of pitch and music notation

( I tried to succeed at the Kahoot quiz

But the answers escaped me, you know how it is)

We got vaccinated, feeling smug

Full of the AstraZeneca drug

Then we met by the river, together again

Trying to learn a new refrain

Trying to make just one breath last

To hold a long note, like we did in the past

Phew! It’s impossible!

But we’re all still here and that’s a plus

It’d take more than COVID to separate us!

Christmas is coming we’re singing out

Better not cry, better not pout

Cause 2022 is a shiny new year

We’ll receive it with joy, and a smidgeon of fear

I hope Christmas is good for everyone

And together we’ll boot out 2021!

Oh spider in my skimmerbox I wish that you weren’t there

I just bent down to empty it, you gave me quite a scare

You scuttled round a corner but your legs are still on view

I may be so much bigger but I am terrified of you

I gave a squeal, my fear is real, I stepped back in a rush

my bare feet slipped, I nearly tripped and grabbed on to a bush

Oh spider dear, I am full of fear, I fetched a can of spray

on my return, I was to learn, that you had crawled away!

Now spiders are so scary, specially huntsmen up too close

I’d rather face a long brown snake or a nasty covid dose

but scarier still says my beating heart

is when the spider decides to depart

and I cant see him!

Christmas is over, the family’s all gone

The left over ham has been sliced from the bone

The trifle is soggy, there is no more pud

the salad is drooping, the cream is no good

There’s jokes from the crackers screwed up on the floor

The wreath is no longer straight on the door

The pool is recovering from post dinner dips

The pantry is bulging with left over chips

The dog is searching for food on the ground

There’s mistletoe hanging but no-one around

There’s three hidden bullets from kiddies Nerf guns

a toothbrush, some undies and hard stale buns

The pavlova is still in its box on the shelf

Nobody wants it, not even myself

presents all opened, Christmas games played

The dog and I tired, cleaning delayed

Christmas is over, the family’s not here

but the tree is still standing, the fridge full of beer

I’m recalling the laughter, the food and the fun

The childrens bright smiles, the hot burning sun

The baby’s loud chatter, the rolling eyed puns

Ah! Christmas is over but the memories are here

And we’ll do it again at the end of next year!

There is a dead spider on my roof

stiff and silent and aloof

clinging on to what was home

now he is dead and all alone

well you arachnids all were warned

I said ‘skedaddle’ but my words were scorned

I said ‘leave now’ but you didn’t leave

so now your family is bereaved

I told you all to live out doors

dont come in here and poop on my floors

dont scare me rigid and make me scream

dont wiggle your way into my dream

just stay in the garden and lure insects in

weave a web next to my bin

I will not kill you if you do what I say

If I see you ouside I will walk away

but here in my house I will squash and smack

and spray and shoot and be on attack

so dear little insects don’t come in my house

whether cockroach or spider or little wood louse

Just keep away and enjoy a full life

away from all deadly trouble and strife

unless a bird gets you!

I called my Mum today

hearing the phone ring

I picture her hearing it too

her voice

she always knows its me

we shared tales of her children and their children and my children and their children

we talked of failures and successes

heartbreak and happiness

losses and gains

we mentioned COVID

we spoke of kindness and comfort

we talked for more than an hour

we will talk again

I wasn’t always kind and it creeps up on my mind

The things I did or didn’t do, to friends both old and new

When I tattled on a friend, drove my parents round the bend

wagged off school, played the fool, thought I was really cool

I stole a boy from a girl, then dropped him like a churl

I flirted, twirled and won a heart I didnt want from the start!

I was nasty to my Mum, I thought she was really dumb

Hated my dad, was really bad, thinking back makes me sad!

I came to OZ tried to fit in, lots of hearts for me to win

laden down with homesick tears, and arachnaphobic fears

I look back with timorous glance and recall my parenting dance

not always nice, just roll the dice, hoping that love will suffice

I recall when I’ve been mean, it haunts me when I dream

I have gossipped with the best, put many friendships to the test

enjoyed the thrill of the chase, an exciting, robbed , embrace

upset many folk, with a misplaced joke, laughing fit to choke

I have regrets, oh so many, I am the original bad Penny

Now I approach the final bend, I dont think I’ll change the trend

lots of gossip to be spread before they pronounce me dead

bring it on, lots more fun, lots more laughter before I’m done!

sorry!

I’m over it, quite over it, really over it right now

I want to get back to where I was not in the here and now

when folk were folk and hugs were hugs and life was laid before us

when I could lunch with quite a bunch and sing with Riverland chorus

I’m over it, quite over it really bored and cheesed off too

but I’m nervous for the future, it makes me feel quite blue

I dont know where we are going as a combined human race

our attitudes are changing at a very rapid pace

But I’m over it, just over it, want to get back to my ways

to see my grands, to see my friends, have noisy family days

I speak to the dog , I chat to the trees, I talk on multiple Zoom

But is not the same, its not as good, as being together in a room

I am over it!

Before you get out of your bed

And your thoughts are still in your head

Do you look at your life?

No trouble, no strife?

 And think what a great life you’ve led?

Or do you think that your life is so boring?

No travel, no gold medal scoring?

No musical heights

No rope walking in tights

A book would start the world snoring!

do your children give you great joy?

A smart girl a successful boy?

A grandchild or two

Enchanting to you?

Even when your home they destroy?

Are you satisfied with your lot?

Pleased with everything that you’ve got?

You need nothing more

Just a roof and a floor

Don’t need a Porsche or a yacht

Do you secretly wish you were rich?

Or a high-flying sarcastic bitch?

A queen or a king

Having a fling

Lying drunk in a Greek island ditch?

When your life is approaching the end

Is all you need a close loving friend?

or a parachute jump

to make your heart bump

and a last screaming whoop to transcend